Red Fever

The fever took no prisoners. After the trader came to us and fell ill, we knew it was only a matter of time. I was quicker than most and got out of town before it really took hold, but I was left with a few sores nonetheless. I holed up in the wilderness for a few days as they cleared, before trekking on to the nearest city to find work. As I traveled the roads, I met messengers riding swiftly who told me the fate of my home town. I lay awake and cried most of those nights.

Transmission & Vectors

Red fever is transmitted through contact and the air. If an individual comes into contact with the exposed skin of an infected person they are highly likely to contract the disease even if there are no visible sores on that area of the skin. Red fever spreads through the air through sneezing and coughing with an uncovered mouth. The disease is thought to remain active on non-living things for up to a week.

Symptoms

Red fever causes the affected person's skin to come up in red sores and rashes, particularly on their arms and face. These tend to appear in the early stages of the infection, and develop further as time goes on. The disease also, unsurprisingly, causes fever in the individual. This sets on suddenly between 2 or 3 days after the first appearance of sores, and increases in intensity rapidly until the affected individual is unable to move due to the severity. If left too long, red fever can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting followed by a coma.  Although spread by coughing and sneezing, red fever does not seem to cause these things.

Treatment

Red fever has in the past been thought to be eased by the use of raw egg poultices to apply to the sores, but no confirmation has ever been found of this. Ailmentwrits had been useless until a year ago, when Tiana wrote her poem Dreaming of Scarlet Skies, which was found to have powerful healing effects on diseases that caused the inflammation of the skin. This Ailmentwrit can be completed to ease the suffering of an infected individual in the early to middle stages of the disease. If the individual is in a coma, they can only be cured in rare cases by a masterwork altered specifically for their condition.
Dreaming of Scarlet Skies has been being printed by the Guild of Printers as fast as possible to satisfy the near-unprecedented demand in communities where red fever is active. The price of these writs is slightly higher than would be typical for such an item, but the Guild of Printers is working on keeping their prices down and selling directly to customers in order to ensure everybody has access to the document.

Prognosis

If found in the early stages and a copy of the new Ailmentwrit is procured, the affected individual typically recovers within three-five days, at which point they are able to resume their typical daily tasks with no adverse consequences observed as yet. If an Ailmentwrit is unavailable the infected person has a 50/50 chance of recovery, and if they do they typically return to normal activity after a week. If not, the outcome is typically fatal.

Hosts & Carriers

The original carrier of red fever is suspected to be a bird, after flying close to the Foothill Rift. The disease can be seen in many crows and ravens at this point, by noticing the faint red tinge around the eyes of these animals. The birds do not seem to be affected by the disease, and some captured by naturalists have lived typical lifespans.

Prevention

To protect oneself from red fever, it is advised that an individual avoids contact with anyone who is infected or their belongings. Additionally, if in the presence of an infected person, the use of a weak Preservewrit on one's body can reduce the chance of contagion.

Epidemiology

Typically outbreaks are caused by people traveling between towns who do not develop symptoms before arriving in a new area. After this occurs they often infect up to 20 others in busy areas, and this quickly causes an outbreak. Festivals and other large gatherings are hotspots for red fever outbreaks.

History

Red fever was first recorded in the late 6th century in an isolated town near the foothills of the Alps. The disease spread, first slowly and then more rapidly, to the surrounding towns and other settlements and gained a strong foothold in the area. As time went on reports of the fever's devastation in the areas it was most prominent in began to filter further through Mythia, causing widespread panic about what could happen should it continue to spread. Local law enforcement patrols and members of city guards were charged with ensuring that infected people were kept away from others. No other preventative measures were taken and so the virus continued to spread, albeit more slowly. The development of the new Ailmentwrit has meant that the disease is finally starting to be beaten back, but it is estimated to be several years, if ever, before it is completely eradicated.

Cultural Reception

Those with red fever are shunned by society during the infectious stages of the disease, and are usually only attended by close friends and family. After their infection and resuming of normal activity they are usually reasonably well accepted, but for at least a month afterwards they are often avoided somewhat by their fellow workers or those who were not in contact with them during the disease itself.

Type

Viral

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Uncommon